<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Derek,<DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>In the state of louisiana the movement to have and use AG nodes has been on the uptick and is one of the existing applications to use the new network infrastructure going into place here. Everytime one is seen in action - (even with the rough edges involved sometimes) folks are impressed. For our grant, we use them on a regular basis. Although, education and support is something that is constantly on going. On the other hand, the number of external sites hasn't really grown too much and i'm still struggling to get some sites here to put their regular seminar offerings on the AG - but when the seminars are scheduled on short notice, etc. it's difficult for them to go through the motions of "putting" them on the AG.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>We had two courses utilizing AG and AGVCR in one Center here i'm aware of last semester and this semester at least one, possibly two again.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>My largest problem has been getting a stable multicast infrastructure to work with; however, our state network is currently in the midst of a major upgrade - which includes getting training and implementing multicast which I think is critical for the success of the AG as it is now. Our use is on the upswing. I'm busier than ever talking to people about it. I'd been meaning to write up something about this for Tom. Oddly enough it's the chicken egg thing - i'm busy doing it and finding time to write it takes... well, time away from doing. I need to just get it done and document our use for all to see...</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>The largest hurdles for me are people want: 1) for me to tell them exactly what to buy on the spot and where to get it (which is not trivial because we have to bid out as a state agency for items over a certain amount), 2) networking, networking, networking... did i say networking? i.e. MULTICAST and 3) staffing/support. #3 is interesting because sites need to recognize that there are computers, networking, and software to support on this and they aren't sure they can or want to do this in terms of people - despite the fact that i see they've done so for regular A/V services. They want it to "just work", but nothing is ever that simple, including other forms of teleconferencing in my experience. But that's just my experience.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Anyhow, quick dirty reply - i'm about to write an answer to yet another request for info within our state...</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>You know, we really should do Jason's certification process here. I know Cindy has. It'd be another step in the right direction to making administrations realize this is a serious use of these systems and not just ad-hoc as some may think. I'm just as guilty for not taking time to do so - and then as a site I could do my state, etc.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"><DIV><DIV>-John Q.</DIV><DIV><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="2" style="font: 10.0px Helvetica">--<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="2" style="font: 10.0px Helvetica">John I. Quebedeaux, Jr.; </FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="2" style="font: 10.0px Helvetica">Louisiana State University</FONT></P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="2" style="font: 10.0px Helvetica">Computer Manager LBRN; 131 Life Sciences Bldg.</FONT></P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="2" style="font: 10.0px Helvetica">e-mail: <A href="mailto:johnq@lsu.edu">johnq@lsu.edu</A>; </FONT><FONT face="Helvetica" size="2" style="font: 10.0px Helvetica">web: <A href="http://lbrn.lsu.edu">http://lbrn.lsu.edu</A></FONT></P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="2" style="font: 10.0px Helvetica">phone: 225-578-0062 / fax: 225-578-2597</FONT></P><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN> </DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On Jan 4, 2007, at 1:25 PM, Derek Piper wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>Hi all,</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>I've been part of the AG community for a while now, nearly 3 years and over that time I've not seen a lot of growth in the number of sites that we interface with for AccessGrid meetings. Quite oppositely I have seen sites that were good AG participants fall into 'disrepair' through lack of funding and site expertise.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>A bit of a devil's advocate question, but is AccessGrid usage declining? Is AccessGrid on the way out? I've seen people turn to things such as Polycom for meetings rather than have AccessGrid meetings.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>I'm curious to learn of other points of view on this.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>Derek</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">--<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Derek Piper - <A href="mailto:dcpiper@indiana.edu">dcpiper@indiana.edu</A> - (812) 856 0111</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">IRI 323, School of Informatics</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>